For those guilty of violent crimes, including those who might receive the death penalty, we need to create a system of justice that is life-affirming and healing; not life-destroying and vengeful:

If we want a safe, nonviolent community, we cannot have a system of justice that practices the violence of capital punishment. It is inconsistent to want a neighborhood where there is no killing if we endorse killing as a form of justice.

CONSEQUENCES

EGG-THROWING TEENS SHOULD HELP THE NEEDY

Chip Davey wrote (Letters, March 12) that people learn through repetition or a dramatic event.

I'd also like to add that consequences reinforce learning. Perhaps, the egg-throwing suspects should be given the consequence (in addition to cleaning the neighborhood) of serving scrambled eggs at a homeless shelter where the needy would appreciate the food.

Surely, the egg throwers would have the free time (instead of roaming the streets) and the eggs to do so.

VETERANS CEMETERY

FAMILIES CARE FOR PLOTS BECAUSE STATE IS NOT

In response to Jason Kokaaina's letter (March 10) regarding the Hawai'i State Veterans Cemetery in Kane'ohe:

I agree that there is a huge difference in comparison to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl.

The Kane'ohe cemetery is run by the state, which in itself explains a lot. Families take it upon themselves to care for the plots of their loved ones because the state is not doing it. They have no respect for our veterans buried there.

It's been a year since my dad was buried and there is still no grass.

The grass that we did plant was driven over by a backhoe, dug up, piled on another grave and the flags tossed on top. They never replaced the grass. This is just our story. There are many more incidents involving other graves.

So until the state starts tending to the cemetery to give our heroes the dignity they so deserve, don't knock the families for doing it on their own.

LETTER TO VATICAN

ABERCROMBIE SHOULD TALK TO HIS DISTRICT FIRST

We who live in the First Congressional District first elected Rep. Neil Abercrombie to Congress in 1986. However, I don't think that in all that time he has ever had much of an understanding of the Constitution, or maybe just does not care what the people of the First District think.

Mr. Abercrombie more than occasionally comes up with a whopper.

This time he has written the Vatican asking if torture is a mortal sin.

The Catholic Church started the Inquisition hundreds of years ago. Punishment during the Inquisition included confinement to dungeons, physical abuse and torture. Why would he ask the Vatican if torture is a mortal sin, when torture was condoned at one point in time by the Catholic Church?

I am sure Americans do not want torture to be a standard thing; however, there are scenarios in which torture might be appropriate when the lives of thousands of Americans could be in jeopardy.

I would think that if Mr. Abercrombie wants some direction on if or when this country should engage in torture, he should come back to the First Congressional District and hold some town meetings with the voters of the district on the subject of torture, as it pertains to the enemies we face today in this world.

NOISE

Wants no rubbish pickup before 6 a.m.

Last week, I called the city complaint department to ask if there was a city ordinance controlling the time of rubbish pickup.

I was amazed to find there is no ordinance concerning rubbish pickup in the morning.

I live behind Ala Moana Center, and they're moving dumpsters from high rises out onto the street before 5 a.m.

I understand that they have to start early to beat the traffic.

Maybe our City Council could vote in a new ordinance not allowing pickup before 6 a.m.